Improvement in dentistry



UNITED STATES WILLIAM BALLARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DENTISTRY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,0 l 2, dated January 16, 1866'.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM BALLARD, of the city of Brooklyn, Kings county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Teeth; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same.

The drawing, consisting of only one figure,

represents an upper plate of artiiicial teeth, made according to my invention.

The object of this invention is the construction of plates for artificial teeth in sucha manner that they will be more certainly and securely retained in their places in the mouth.

It is Well known that it is often very difficult for dentists to prepare plate-Work so that the plates willremain in their proper places in the mouth, some patients being` more ditlicult to tit than others and less apt at adapting themselves to the use ofthe plates, and somedentists being also wanting in proper skill to producea nice tit andseeure the proper adjustment of theplate to the month anda proper articulation ofthe teeth.

My invention is intended to obviate these diiiculties and enable one to make it comparatively easy to retain the teeth in the mouth.

It consists in grooving the inner surface of the plate on that part which comes against the roof of the mouth in the case of the upper plate, as herein described.

In this example of my invention I have shown what is called in dentistry an upper plate 7 of artileial teeth.

For the purpose4 of effecting a good adhesion of the plate to the mouth it has long been the custom for dentists to make a cavity, like B, at the center or more elevated part of the plate. This provision has not proved always effective in making the plate adhere. I have therefore made additional grooves A A, extending from the heel of the plate toward the front part, and thence around the central cavity to the heel again. The grooves here shown are in concentric lines, or nearly so. t In addition to these grooves A, I have made transverse grooves A behind the central cavity, B, but not extending so far as to intersect thc grooves A.

By this manner of constructing plates for artiticial teeth I have succeeded in producing a more perfect adhesion to the root' of the Inouth without increasing their cost.

The grooves A may be concentric, or nearly so, with the outlines ofthe teeth on the plate.

What l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In the plates of artificial teeth, making grooves A around the central part of the plates, and also transverse grooves A near the heel of the plates, for the purpose ot' making such plates adhere more easily to the mouth, substantially as described.

WM. BALLARD.

Witnesses M. M. LIVINGSTON, WM. E. LYON. 

